A Minute With You
by Mookamori
Summary: COMPLETE! Takes place after Chapter 237, SPOILERS AHOY! Shy & meek, Hinata always found it hard to approach Naruto, even when he was hospitalized. But when circumstances force her to go to him, she gathers her courage to speak with him.R&R,folks!
1. Chapter One Outside

**_Author's Note_** – This fanfiction takes place somewhere after Chapter 237 of the manga, and before Chapter 238. With that said, expect some **_NASTY SPOILERS_**! ;;

Anyway, remember Episode 59 of the anime? When Naruto and Hinata have a little chat about his upcoming battle with Neji? I liked that short, sweet scene, despite lasting only for a few minutes. It spoke volumes to me about what Hinata could have felt, aside from some Kyuubi lusting. XDD Anyway, this fanfic focuses on what could have happened if they had that kind of conversation once again.

Thanks for reading! Hope you like what you'll be reading for a while.

* * *

_Chapter One - Outside_

Hyuuga Hinata had been staring at the hospital building for several minutes now. Her index fingers were habitually twiddling around each other, and her feet shifted from time to time. Her gaze, though locked on to the hospital, or rather, on a specific window of a room, would sometimes lose focus whenever she would hear some kind of noise from around her. Though she had only been there for a few minutes, her nervousness made it seem like forever.

Supposedly, she was here to visit Uzumaki Naruto, who had returned from his mission to retrieve the now missing-nin Uchiha Sasuke. He went with a team composed of Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, Inuzuka Kiba, and her own cousin, Hyuuga Neji just to stop him from going over to the evil Orochimaru's hideout. It ended in failure, however, with the entire team ending up being hospitalized.

When she first found out that Naruto had been hospitalized, she immediately rushed over, her heart torn with worry and fear. When she finally got there, she found wrapped in bandages, from head to toe, and was unconscious. Accepting no visitors and was under care by the medical ninjas, she had no choice but to go home. As she did, she felt weak, and could barely walk. Her father even noticed this and asked what was wrong, but she replied with her usual tone, "It's…it's nothing."

Hinata could barely sleep that night.

She admitted it to herself a long time ago that she had an intense crush on Naruto that only grew stronger as time passed. For almost her entire life, she drew inspiration and strength from his constant displays of determination, courage, and his never-say-die attitude. Conisdered to be weak and a waste of effort to be trained by even her own clan; she had little self-esteem, and was known to be a quitter. At the Chuunin Exams, Neji even claimed that it would forever be her fate to be weak, and nothing would change that.

Yet she still sought to improve herself and become stronger, since she found a kind of similarity between her and Naruto. Naruto, too, was not entered into an ideal childhood, and his early days were that of rejection and of sadness. Yet, he still sought recognition and acceptance from his peers, and he never gave up in becoming who he was today. For his age, he was already quite the able Shinobi, but it was largely due to his perseverance to defy what fate seemed to have in store for him.

Naruto was a source of inspiration for Hinata now, who also sought to become better and improve herself. Now, her family and clan treated her warmly, and even Neji, who used to bear much hatred for her, spoke to her with respect and kinship.

She had so many things she wanted to say to him, had so many things she wanted to thank him for, but unfortunately for Hinata, she was very, very shy. Most of the time, she was quiet, and whenever she did have to speak, she talked in a very soft voice. She sometimes stuttered as well, misplacing her words before she could even speak them. She sometimes found it difficult to speak her opinions to someone else, even with her friends in her team, much less with Naruto. She was, at the strictest sense of the word, introverted.

But still, if it weren't for Naruto, none of the blessings Hinata had received would ever come to be. For everything he had done for her, even if he didn't have the slightest clue about it, she was extremely grateful to him.

So, here she was, standing in front of the hospital, waiting for whatever courage she had to build up inside her so that she could finally go inside and visit Naruto. A little while ago, Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin, climbed into Naruto's window via a giant frog, just when Hinata was about to finally go through the hospital's front gate. Seeing a huge amphibian staring at her made her quickly brisk away behind the nearest tree and waited for Jiraiya to leave. After a while, he did, leaving with a giant frog's footprints on the hospital grounds.

So here she was again, waiting.

"Mm…' she softly groaned, miffed at her own indecisiveness.

Sighing, she was about to turn around and leave to try another day when she bumped into someone. Hinata was knocked down by the sudden force.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" a voice said, and offered a hand to help Hinata up, "I wasn't looking, I was rushing…"

"N-no, it's alright," Hinata apologized, with a bow, "I-I wasn't looking."

"No, it's my…oh, aren't you Miss Hinata?"

Hinata looked at her companion, and found out that she had bumped into Shizune, the current Hokage's aide. Almost cringing, she instantly backed away and made another deep bow, apologizing right away.

Shizune was getting embarrassed with all the formality, her cheeks already flushing as Hinata made another apology. "P-please, there's no need…" she said, laughing nervously, "Anyway, it's good that I found you here. May I ask you a favor?"

Hinata just nodded, and said, "It's okay…I-I'm not doing anything."

Shizune clapped her hands in glee, and continued, "Great! You see, I have to go to the Hyuuga's, where you live, of course, to check up on Neji-kun's condition. But I've also got to do this errand, too, so, can I ask you to do it?"

Hinata again nodded in agreement. Shizune then reached into her pockets and took out a small box of medicine. She then handed it over to Hinata, who gently handled it with care. "Should I bring this to someone?" Hinata asked.

"Yes, he's a patient right now in the hospital. He's beaten up badly; it's a miracle that he survived," Shizune replied, with a hint of awe in her voice.

Hinata's heart skipped a beat. Though she wasn't entirely sure on who the patient was, she was already nervously thinking who could it was. And somehow, her gut feeling told her already, she just didn't want to believe it just yet.

"A…Akimichi Chouji-san?" Hinata guessed, her voice slightly shaking.

Shizune shook her head, "Nope, but it is true that he too suffered a great deal of injuries. But, luckily, he's okay too."

"K-Kiba-kun?" Hinata guessed again, the trembling in her voice increasing. Her range of choices was getting awfully slim.

Again, Shizune shook her head. "He's recuperating at his home right now. His sister's looking out for him now. Right now, to be honest, I'm a bit more worried about his dog, though."

"N-Nara Shikamaru-san?" Hinata guessed again. Even now her cheeks were burning madly.

"…he only got a sprained finger, seriously," Shizune replied, laughing uneasily, "but then again, maybe that's because out of the group, he's the only Chuunin. Maybe."

Hinata swallowed a large gulp of air. There was only one person who could be the patient right now, and just thinking about it was already making her so nervous.

"N-N-Na-Na…"

"Huh? You already mentioned Shikamaru-kun," Shizune said, shrugging.

Hinata shook her head, and then said, finally, "N-Naruto-kun?"

"Bingo!" Shizune replied enthusiastically, with a wink, "That medicine, according to Tsunade-sama, is supposed to help him heal faster. Would you bring it to him? Thanks! Oops, I'm running late. Gotta go!"

Without even hearing what her reply was, Shizune already sped off, leaving a trail of dust behind her. Hinata was left there, simply speechless as she held the medicine box.

It was Naruto's medicine

She gulped, looking at it. It was in a small, black box, with a little sash around it to keep it tightly closed. Already, she could imagine Naruto's impish grin as he took it from her and said, "Thanks, Hinata!"

Hinata blushed, seeing him smile in her imagination. She smiled, despite her nervousness, and for once, she'd be doing something for him, even though it was a small task, at best. Besides, it had been quite a long time since they last saw each other, and given this opportunity, she had to go see him whether her nervousness stopped her or not.

Afterwards, she sighed in disappointment, though. If it weren't for this favor that she had to do, she was not sure if she would've gone to Naruto's anyway. She was still, and it would seem like it would always be, very, very nervous and shy to Naruto.

Breathing deeply, bracing herself for what could happen, she stepped inside the hospital.

* * *


	2. Chapter Two The Deal

**_Chapter 2 – The Deal_**

* * *

If entering the hospital was one thing, going through Naruto's room's door was something else.

Hyuuga Hinata stood in front of the door, its dull green color not really giving off any aura of invitation to anyone who might want to visit. At least, it seemed that way to Hinata, who was standing there for about a few minutes already, just looking at her sandals, fidgeting. Sometimes she would go touch the metal surface of the doorknob, and even though it was only a little cold, her nervousness amplified it to the point that she would retract her hand.

In her pocket, was the box of medicine Shizune entrusted to her to give to Naruto. Her description still rang clear in his head, that it was something that could help him heal faster.

She told herself so many times that that should be motivation enough to overcome her own nervousness and just enter the room, but just thinking about meeting him again, after all this time that she hadn't seen him, behind a tree or post or not, made her heart giddy with anticipation, but at the same time, trembling with timidity. The last time she actually saw him was a long time ago, back in the Chuunin Exams, during his fight with her cousin, Neji.

She still regretted it today that her injury gave her a spasm attack and she fainted, missing out the rest of the match. While she was deeply overjoyed that she learned later on that Naruto had actually won the fight and beat Neji, she was also saddened by the fact that she was not able to cheer him on. It was, in her opinion, the least she could do for his loud and energetic cheers for her during her own match.

But, her thoughts drifted farther back to the time when, for the first time in Hinata's entire life, and Naruto's as well, the two actually had a decent conversation. She still remembered how she suddenly jumped from where she stood and went behind the wooden post when he suddenly greeted her. She could still remember each and every word that was exchanged between them, and she was still amazed at herself for actually speaking back to Naruto. She still remembers fondly the words that she shared that gave him the encouragement that Naruto needed for his fight, and how he reacted.

She giggled softly, remembering how cute he looked when he was awestruck by her advice.

Her cheeks became a vibrant red, afterwards, with the memory of Naruto's words as he left for his match.

_Hinata__…_

_ Eh?_

_ I always thought of you as…_

_ Eh? Eh?_

_ …A dark, timid, and weird person!_

_ Naruto-kun…_

_ But you know something…? I like people like you! Crap! I'm late! See you later, Hinata!_

Hinata wasn't sure, but she thought her heart skipped a good number of beats at that time, and she still could remember how hot her cheeks were. She was so lost in the moment; she did not even notice that Kiba, who came to meet with her, was already there until he had to give her a good, rough shake.

She was even amazed that she could remember him saying "Crap."

But the fact that she was able to talk with him, to open her heart to him, even just a little, and the fact that Naruto confided in her his own inner feelings, his feelings of weakness, something she believed the proud Naruto would never reveal to anybody else, gave her a little confidence, a little courage. If she was able to talk to Naruto so warmly and freely before, she shouldn't have any problems now.

At least, that's what she was trying to tell herself. Taking a deep breath, calming herself down, she grasped the doorknob. Twisting it open, she entered, but only head-first.

"A…anou…Shitsurei shimasu…" she said, excusing herself as she entered the room.

The room itself looked like a typical Konoha Hospital patient room, with dully colored walls, a cabinet for clothes, and a door that led to the bathroom. However, a privacy curtain concealed the rest of the room, including the window, the bed, and of course, the patient.

She gulped. Bracing herself, she approached and reached for the curtain.

What she saw inside surprised her, to say the least, making her gasp and say, "N-Naruto-kun?!"

Naruto, wrapped in bandages from head to foot, wearing a black yukata for patients, was about to put his last leg out the window when he heard the curtains swish. Immediately, he turned around and his face went pale, sweat immediately dripping down his face.

The feeling was terror, he was sure of that, but he didn't even notice Hinata. What he did see was a flying paper fan aimed directly at his face, and the very angry teacher who threw it.

"NARUTO!" Umino Iruka growled.

* * *

"Sorry you had to see something like this, Hinata," Iruka apologized, scratching his cheek, "Naruto can be well…you know what he's like."

Hinata just nodded in reply, though, honestly she did feel a little sorry for Naruto. Not only did she think that Naruto was yearning for freedom from the hospital, but also, yearning for freedom from all the ropes Iruka tied around Naruto to keep him from escaping again.

"Iruka-sensei! Let me outta here!" Naruto pleaded, struggling weakly against the ropes, "I have a coupon at Ichiraku which'll give me a free bowl of ramen, but it'll expire in a few hours, so PLEASE," Naruto paused for dramatic effect, "PLEASE, let me outta here!"

"Listen, Naruto," Iruka calmly explained, "You've been through a very difficult battle, and you barely made it out alive! Your injuries need to heal, and going out the window is definitely NOT a good way to heal yourself, so be good and stay!"

"But…the ramen!" Naruto gasped weakly.

"And don't embarrass yourself in front of Hinata here! She came all this way just to see you, and you're acting like an idiot," Iruka reprimanded, crossing his arms.

That set fire in Hinata's cheeks, making her blush like crazy. Her immediate reflex was to quickly deny what Iruka said, saying, "N-No…i-i-it's not that! I-I was just a-asked to d-de…"

She would've continued (although her meek voice made her denial barely audible), but she caught sight of Naruto, and immediately froze. His eyes met hers, and she could see that his expression was that of sheer surprise. His mouth was slightly open, and his eyes were wide.

She knew where that expression came from. She could never forget that face he made when she told him her feelings about Naruto's strengths and weaknesses, way back before his battle with Neji.

Her heart was beating rapidly, and its pace increased when Naruto said, his voice in awe, "Wow…Hinata…"

"E-Eh?" Hinata found herself caught in his bright blue eyes, and she could barely speak. She could feel the warmth of her cheeks burning through the skin. She would touch them to see just how hot they were if her fingers weren't so busy twiddling around each other.

"Hinata…"

"H-Hai?"

"Hey you! I didn't see you there. How are…ouch!" He was about to say more when he was smacked upside the head with Iruka's paper fan. Hinata's shoulders just drooped.

"Watch what you're saying, you idiot!" Iruka growled, and Naruto reeled with the pain, his head falling back down on the pillow.

"R-Ramen…" Naruto groaned.

Iruka sighed, seeing Naruto in such a state of gloominess. Acting as a father-figure to Naruto, he pained him to make him suffer like this, though he knew that it would be for his own good. He had heard from Naruto's Jounin teacher Hatake Kakashi that he had just come from a very serious battle, one against his former teammate and friend, Sasuke, and barely made it out alive. He told him that he found Naruto unconscious, suffering from a severe wound. It was a miracle that he survived.

He sighed again, and brought out a slip of paper from his pocket. Somehow, it immediately grabbed Naruto's attention.

"See this, Naruto?" Iruka said, grinning. Naruto could scarcely believe his eyes. Hinata just slightly tilted her head in question.

"This here's an Ichiraku coupon for TWO, not one, but TWO free bowls of BEEF and PORK ramen," Iruka continued, putting stress on the meat to make Naruto drool even more than he already had, "And it's valid up until next week."

If it were possible, Naruto's eyeballs would have popped out of his eye sockets in sheer disbelief, but Hinata did imagine that, seeing his eyes so wide they seem to stretch beyond his eyelids. She had to wonder, was ramen really that good?

"I'll let you have it, in ONE condition," Iruka said, folding the coupon in half and hiding it behind his hand, much to Naruto's dismay.

"What condition? I can handle it, I promise!" Naruto blabbered, obviously desperate.

"You see, as much as I'd want to stay, I still have my responsibilities as a teacher back at the Academy, and right now, I still have four classes to handle. That'll take four hours, approximately," Iruka explained, slowly moving over to Hinata's side.

"What, what else?!" Naruto demanded.

Then, Iruka calmly slipped the coupon inside Hinata's jacket pocket, and said, "If you can behave yourself for four straight hours, then Hinata here will give it to you."

"W-w-what?!" Hinata exclaimed, at a volume even she was surprised of. Naruto had an utterly confused look on his face.

Iruka knelt down and whispered to Hinata, "Sorry about this, but actually, I'm already late as it is. I have to go soon, too."

"B-but, I-I can't stay here…" She reasoned, her voice weak.

Iruka just smiled and said, "Can't you? Naruto's bored right now, and I don't think there's anybody available to talk with him right now. I'd like to ask you to just be with him for four hours. That won't be too difficult, right? You ARE classmates."

Hinata gulped. Iruka had NO idea how difficult it could be.

"B-but…"

"Ack! I have to go!" Iruka grumbled, then facing Naruto, "Remember! The fate of your Ramen is now in Hinata's hands. Be good!"

Then Iruka dashed out of the room, leaving a trail of dust, and out of sight, leaving Hinata and Naruto alone to helplessly stare at the door as it closed shut.

Hinata's eyes were fixed on the door, not that there was something worth looking at, but she was terribly nervous of looking back at the bed where Naruto was. She admitted many times before to herself, she had an intense crush on Naruto. So, even the slightest attempt of asking for the coupons would make her heart stop and make her give them to Naruto immediately.

But she did not need the Byakugan to discern that Naruto's bright blue eyes were fixated on Hinata, and so, gathering her courage, one centimeter at a time, she turned to Naruto.

She gasped.

Naruto sighed, and looked out the window. He groaned, quite loudly.

"Looks like I'll be stuck here for a while. Say, Hinata," he paused to look at her, "Iruka-sensei's gone, so can you untie me?"

She almost jumped up from her seat as she walked over to Naruto's bedside and, using a Kunai from her pockets, slashed the ropes that bound Naruto. As it loosened up, Naruto propped his back on the headboard of the bed and crossed his arms.

"Thanks," he said, with a short grin, but groaned loudly again.

She sat back down on the chair, while Naruto just looked at the window, seemingly counting every cloud that hovered on the sky. It wasn't long before silence completely enveloped the room. Not one made a single sound. Naruto was just looking outside, while Hinata was just looking at her sandals.

The silence was terrible, especially to Hinata. She could not stand the heavy atmosphere, the difficult feeling bearing down her heart as each minute passed; so much that she was clenching her fists tightly to resist it. There was so much uncertainty that pained her. Was Naruto not speaking to her because he was mad at her? Was he angry because Iruka gave her the coupons and not him? Did Naruto hate her now?

They barely even had a relationship. As much as Hinata wanted to have a warm one with Naruto, now, with this situation, could it be that Naruto hated her now? This was becoming far too strenuous for even the meek Hinata to keep bottled up inside.

"N-n…" Still, she was still a nervous wreck when it came to talking with him.

Naruto noticed that she was about to speak and turned to face her.

"N-N-Naruto-kun…"

"Yeah?" Naruto responded ever so casually.

"W…w…"

"Huh?"

"W-Why…won't…you…"

"Why won't I what?" Naruto asked, his eyebrow cocked.

"W…why won't you ask for them? T-the coupons, I mean…" There, she said it. Gulping hard, she nervously waited for the reply.

"Well…uhh," he paused to think, scratching his bandaged head, and then he said, "Do you want to give them to me?"

"Eh?" She did not expect this.

"Do you?"

Of course she did not want to give the coupons to him. It was not because she wanted to deprive him of his favorite food, but it was just as their teacher had just said, he needed rest. He had just returned from a life-and-death mission, one that he barely survived, and Hinata, from the bottom of her heart, just honestly wanted him to get well again. Knowing his impulsive nature, she felt that Naruto would simply jump out the window once he got his hands on the coupons despite his injuries, and risk hurting himself again.

So, she just shook her head.

Naruto groaned softly, and said, "Well, that's that, then. Anyway, I think the Ramen's going to taste better if it's worked hard for."

Hinata could feel that his last sentence was just something to make him feel better, so she made a small bow and said, "I…I apologize."

That startled him and made Naruto fumble his words. "Ah, no! There's nothing to apologize for, Hinata. It's just…well…"

Hinata looked up and saw Naruto looking away from her, scratching his blond hair. It seemed like he was choosing his words, but his cheeks were slightly tinged with red.

"Well…it's like the Chuunin Exam, y'know? Neji making you quit and stuff? Well…probably not, but I don't wanna make you do things you don't want to do, y'know?" Naruto explained as best he could.

He laughed uneasily, scratching his head. His eyes were habitually squinting, which was fortunate for Hinata, who wouldn't want Naruto to see her blushing like crazy.

"But you know what?" Naruto said with a grin, opening his eyes again to look at her, "It's been a really, really long time since we last talked like this! The last time was…uhh…when…uhh…"

It was obvious that Naruto had forgotten, judging by the way he would look at the ceiling and scratch his cheek or chin. He would say some words, but immediately shake his head and try again.

Hinata sighed and said, "…right before your match with my cousin, at the Chuunin Exam?"

"Oh right! I was gonna say that," Naruto blurted out, sheepishly, scratching his head once again, "Well, yeah, that long! So, how you been?"

Hinata blushed. Once again, it seemed like her dream was about to get fulfilled once more, to have a decent conversation with the object of her affections. She always had a difficult time doing so, but, it was always Naruto who would talk first and start it, and she would be eternally grateful for that. She hoped the words she needed to reply with would come out naturally, just like last time. She quietly vowed, placing a hand over her fast-beating heart, to make the best out of this conversation.

And maybe even reveal a little bit of her feelings to Naruto as well.

She looked at him, and her heart felt a little lighter when she saw him with a grin on his face, eagerly waiting a reply.

"I…I've been well," Hinata said, with a smile.

* * *


	3. Chapter Three Conversation

**_Author's Note – _**First of all, I'm terribly sorry for the late update. I know that I've updated last December (Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, by the way), and it's been roughly 2 months ever since. Things have been really hectic at home, lately, so I've never had much time (or even inspiration) to write. But at last, the third chapter's here, and hopefully, you'll still read it.

Thanks again, and without further ado…

* * *

****

**_Chapter 3 – Conversation_**

****

For the shy, timid Hyuuga Hinata, spending four hours alone with the object of her affection, Uzumaki Naruto, would be utterly nerve-wracking. Before, she already found it difficult to speak to him, much, much less to be near him. Whenever he would be around, one would always find her hiding behind a post, wall or tree. But to stay with him, for four hours, exactly two hundred and forty minutes, and to have a prolonged and continuous conversation with him in that long period of time was going to be the ultimate test of her fortitude.

But, surprisingly, even to herself, she was doing quite well. She only asked one question to begin the conversation, and Naruto thankfully took care of the rest.

"Ahh…s-so, w-what have you b-been doing?" she asked, twiddling her fingers, as usual.

"Oh! Let me tell you…" Naruto replied with a big grin.

Before they even knew it, both Hinata and Naruto were lost in conversation, with the latter doing almost all the talking. While Hinata was certainly not expecting this to happen, she was definitely glad that he began talking about his adventures and missions as a Genin. All the details he told in explosive detail, mostly describing HIS exploits, and how "cool he must have looked." Hinata would probably never know if his details were actually genuine, but she would just smile and believe it. It was Naruto, after all, though sometimes, she wished he wouldn't be so graphic.

_"…so, when Gaara turns into this huge, and when I say huge, I mean GIGANTIC monster-demon-thingy with crazy flying hands and stuff, I say, 'Now this isn't right! I gotta go do something before he does something crazy!'" Naruto retells, clenching his fists for emphasis._

_ Hinata nods eagerly, a smile of expectation on her face._

_ "So you know what I did?"_

_ Hinata shakes her head, still smiling._

_ "I poked him up the butt!"_

_ Hinata almost falls off her chair._

_ "With a Kunai, even!"_

_ "N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata mumbles in disbelief. "A…A K-Kunai?"_

_ "With an Explosive Seal attached!"_

_ Hinata just sighs, trying to shake the image off her head and smiles to tell him to continue._

She never did see what that Sand Demon Naruto told about looked like, but she did see Gaara in person, so that was the only image she had of him. So, when imagining Naruto thrusting a Kunai, a very sharp knife, with an Explosive Seal attached, set to explode like a small bomb once set, up Gaara's rear end still made Hinata cringe.

But, then again, she told herself that Naruto did fart in order to win against Kiba, back in the Chuunin Preliminaries, so Hinata guessed that Naruto could be prone to do those kinds of things.

The stories kept rolling in, and with each and every Naruto recounted, all in gratuitous detail, Hinata's admiration for him grew more and more. She had always believed in Naruto, believed in his powerful determination, but to actually hear about his missions, his exploits where his life was always put on the line, where his skills were put to the test; it was something she could not even imagine, from his very first C-Rank Mission (which, he said, turned to an A-Rank later on), escorting the bridge maker Tazuna back to his home village, Naruto didn't skip on any details as he elaborated his Chakra training, which eventually led to the climactic battle against the self-proclaimed Demon Momochi Zabuza and his young ward, Haku. He also talked about the Chuunin Exam, with much emphasis on his own fights against Kiba, Neji, and lastly, Gaara, which Hinata remembered quite well, with a bit of cringing due to the details. Then, he talked about his adventure with Jiraiya, who Naruto calls "Ero-Sennin," concerning the retrieval of the now current Hokage, Tsunade, but more importantly, for him, the training and eventual execution of the powerful technique, the Rasengan.

With each tale Naruto recounted, Hinata could not help but feel even more admiration for him. She had always believed in him and his powerful determination, but actually hearing of his exploits, of his adventures where his life was always on the line and his skills were constantly put to the test, and actually succeeding at them, she could only reply so much as to gasp or clasp her hands in sheer awe. As far as she knew, no Genin had accomplished as much as Naruto, who wasn't anybody special to begin with, and yet ascended to such a high level through sheer perseverance alone. For someone who was born into shadows, scorned by society, and shunned by his peers just because of who he was, Naruto had become someone bathed in so much glory.

And yet, bless his heart, Hinata thought, with a smile, he still remained the same loud-mouthed, exuberant, and energetic Naruto that she liked ever since their Academy days.

* * *

Then, there was the mission to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke, to stop him from defecting to Orochimaru. She could not help but feel a little sad and sorry for Naruto, who was skimping on the details. Hinata couldn't blame him, this certain mission ended in failure, with Naruto's entire team ending up hospitalized. They would've probably ended up dead, if things took one more step for the worse.

It was obvious to Hinata that this was a topic he was not particularly suited to talk about, and was about to ask him to stop when he said, "Y...you know, I promised her."

Her eyes widened. "W-Who?"

"S-Sakura-chan," Naruto replied, weakly, his fists clenching tightly.

"Oh...right..." she said, also a bit weakly.

Hinata knew who this "Sakura-chan" was, and as far as Naruto was concerned, she would be the "competition." She didn't need the Byakugan to see that Naruto, just as Hinata was with him, was infatuated with Haruno Sakura, the intelligent, pink-haired, pretty girl of their class. Sakura, on the other hand, was also infatuated with Uchiha Sasuke, but that was also true for the rest of the girls in class, save Hinata herself. While Sasuke WAS good-looking, very much so, Hinata thought, he never had the qualities that made "Naruto-kun" so appealing.

Team Seven had a rocky love triangle, and Hinata, with a heavy heart, somehow knew that she was not included in that. After all, what she did not have in common with Naruto or Sakura was that she was meek, quiet, an introvert. The two were very vocal and very open, utter extroverts, and while Sakura was in love with Sasuke, Naruto was...she dared not think it, but he, in less hurtful terms, _liked_ Sakura.

Those feelings remained true, even up to now, much to Hinata's dismay. She could not help but feel a little jealous.

"I promised her that…that I'd be able to take Sasuke back, to get him to come home," Naruto continued, his tone weak and hurting, "but…but I guess I wasn't strong enough to do that. Sasuke wanted to go away, and there was nothing I could do to change his mind…"

Naruto wasn't looking at her now, but his eyes were down, seemingly locked on to his fists, his grip tightening around the blanket in remorse. He continued, "…I told her anyway, that I'd be able to get him back, someday, some other time, eventually, but, to tell you the truth, I'm not as confident about it as I'd like to be."

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata softly murmured, feeling the anguish in his voice.

"Sasuke…he's the kind of person who wouldn't back down on something he decided upon with everything he had, with something to lose, and choosing this…to leave Konoha and go to Orochimaru of his own free will, that's…that's something big. That's something I think Sasuke would never, ever back down from, and he chose that path, even though he had so much to lose…How can I make him turn back from that?

"I've got to get him back, but how? I made a promise to Sakura-chan, a life-long promise, to get him back, but…I was foolish to think that I could even attempt such a thing…"

For the first time, in a long while, Hinata spoke, though her voice quivered slightly, "N-Naruto-kun…tell me…why did you make that promise to Sakura-san in the first place?"

Hinata feared the worst. It would be conceding defeat already, and she might lose her chances, but deep in the bottom of her heart, all she wanted was to help him through this, and she thought that this would be the best way.

Regardless of how her feelings would fare.

She asked again.

"I…I…It's because I really like her, even though she loves Sasuke. Maybe at the time, I was thinking, 'what if I bring Sasuke back? Maybe she'll like me for that?' I thought at that time that Sasuke was kidnapped. I guess…yeah, maybe it's because I wanted to get her attention…to like me."

Turning away, she grasped her chest. Her heart was heavy with sadness, even though she kept telling herself that she shouldn't be feeling this way; that she should be concentrating on helping Naruto out. But hearing this…hearing this confirmation straight from his mouth was painful for her.

But, now she knew what she had to say.

Feeling her tears swelling up, she stood up and headed towards the window, to hide them from Naruto. She opened them, and it revealed the village of Konoha, bathed in moonlight, the stars glittering in the night sky. She was mildly surprised; she had no idea that they had already spent that much time together.

The moon gently shone its light on her. Hinata then spoke, her voice a little broken up, "Are you…are you giving up, then? I…I thought you never gave up, no matter how hard the situation is, no matter how difficult the enemy is. Wasn't that your way of the ninja?"

Like a violent shove, her words jolted Naruto out of his sad trance. Eyed widened in mild shock, his heart beating with a slow, yet increasing pace, he raised his head, to look at Hinata.

He gasped, and it was a reflex he did not expect. Bathed in a subtle aura of moonlight, her gentle features seemed to have been enhanced, and Naruto could not help but gaze in utter awe. He had never seen Hinata like this before, and despite his better judgment, his cheeks were unconsciously turning a slight red.

And her eyes, her pure white eyes, the identifying characteristic of the Hyuuga clan, seemed to glitter along with the moonlight.

Naruto twitched, looking closely into her eyes. He wasn't sure, but that glittering effect, he thought, wasn't due to the moonlight…

Was she crying?

He couldn't confirm it, though, since she turned away a little. Naruto could only see a little of her face now, the edge of her cheek, and deep down, he was slightly disappointed. Hinata still continued to speak, however.

"Naruto-kun…you may not notice it, but…I…I think you have a great effect on people. You can change them, and it's always for the better."

"I…I do? Uh…" He was at a loss for words.

"Don't you remember?" Hinata asked, her gaze still fixed out the window, though her voice was still loud enough for him to hear, "I…I've thought before that he'd always be like that, so cold, so…so arrogant. H-He was always so fixed on that idea that a person's life has been predetermined the day he or she was born."

"Neji…" Naruto realized, aloud.

Even from her position, Naruto could see her lips, and they cracked into a small smile. "But, look at him now. Neji-niisan, he's talking to me again, not because he has to, but he wants to. He no longer looks at me with hatred, Naruto-kun. He even smiles at me now, and that's because…y-you changed him.

"I…I'm not exactly sure how, though. I don't know what you said to him, since I wasn't able to watch your match until the end," Hinata said, sadness in her voice.

"You didn't? Why?" Naruto asked.

"Eh? Uh, no, it's not important right now," Hinata quickly said, "Thing is…"

She drew a large breath, recollecting her thoughts. Meanwhile, Naruto was entranced. Just like before, at that time before Naruto's match with Neji at the Chuunin Exams, he seemed to be absorbed in Hinata's words. And this pause, which only truly lasted for a few moments, lasted for hours for Naruto.

Finally, she had the words. Sighing deeply once again, she wiped her tears away and faced him. Naruto gulped, seeing her face once again. He did notice that her white eyes weren't sparkling like before, though even in the darkness, he could see that they were a little red.

Hinata continued, with conviction in her voice, "N-No matter how high the odds are stacked against you, no matter how skilled or powerful your opponent is, you always find a way. Y-You always find a way to beat the odds, because you never gave up."

"H-Hinata…"

"The next time you see each other, even though you might fight, I think…no," she shook her head, then continued, "I believe that you can take him back for good, and change him for the better, just like what you did with Neji-niisan."

"Why?" Naruto suddenly asked, out of the blue.

"Eh?" That clearly threw Hinata off.

"Why…" Naruto said, his eyes never leaving Hinata, quietly glinting in puzzlement, "Why do you believe in me so much?"

For a straightforward question like this, Hinata would have evaded answering, would have tried to change the topic, but now, all she did was just look outside the window again, her tiny hands clasping on the bottom side of the window pane, and replied, "Because…because you believed in me…because you changed me as well."

"Huh? How?" He was still confused.

"Naruto-kun," she stated, a bit forcefully, as much as her meek voice could take. She had to keep going on, she had to keep saying what she had to say, because inside, she was already falling apart, her heart was already on the verge of breaking.

And the next thing she would say, she believed, would complete it.

Deep in her heart, she wanted to help Naruto out of this dilemma. That was her honest intention.

No matter what the cost.

"Y-You can do it, Naruto-kun. A-And when you do, I think Sa…I think…"

Her throat was hurting.

"I think Sa…Sakura-san will be really happy."

Broken.

Naruto's lips slowly, yet surely opened, then cracked into a wide smile, his eyes squinting as usual. "Y…Yeah! You're right! I gues I was all worried about nothing! Yeah, I can do this!"

She could barely speak, and if she could, she had nothing more to say.

"Hinata?"

She peered only a little. She looked at him at the corner of her eye, and could see that he was smiling. Her heart was warmed a little.

"Thanks!" He said, with a big grin, "Thanks a lot! Looks like you saved me again. Heh, you always know what to say!"

Hinata quickly turned away. She knew she shouldn't be feeling this, that she should be expecting this, but she thought that at the very least, Naruto would see that she was clearly hurting. At the very least, he could at least say something like, "Are you alright?"

"I…I have to go…" she weakly said.

"Eh? You do? Has it been four hours already?"

Tears were about to flow, and she did not want him to see her crying. She said, as audible as her choked voice could allow, "H…here's your meal tickets..."

She just placed them on the bed, without even looking at him. She then placed the medicine box Shizune had asked her to give to him on top. She added, "H…here's also some m-medicine from Shizu…Shizune-san. Sh…she said that it could help you recover faster…"

"Oh…thanks," Naruto said, taking them, "Hey, Hinata, is there something…"

"I'm so sorry!" She then ran as fast as her feet could take her, dashing out of the room without looking back.

"H-hey! Wait! Hinata!" Naruto called out, but it was useless. She was already too far away.

* * *

Hinata did not why she came here. She had every intention to go home after what had just happened, to just cry her heart out on her pillow and just try to forget about everything, but her feet took her here.

Surrounded by the forest, it was a circular piece of land, with grass merely a few inches tall painting the area a lush green. The wind flew freely here, and up above, the night sky was a glimmering velvet ocean with numerous stars, surrounding the moon as its centerpiece.

And at the center of the area, were three identical wooden poles, roughly a meter in diameter, and made out of sturdy wood.

"Why…why am I here?" Her voice, cracked.

Aside from being a training area, it was also where she talked to Naruto for the first time. It was also when she had successfully given him the encouragement he needed for his fight. It was also when Naruto said…

"I'm such an idiot…" Hinata mumbled, sitting down.

She knew that what Naruto really said at that day was "I like people like you," not "I like you." Yet she wanted to believe, as futile as it was, that he really said the latter.

It was only a generalization, she thought. He probably said it to lots of other dark, timid, and weird people, she thought. He probably said the same stories to other people already. He probably already said to other people that he stuck a Kunai with an Explosive Seal up Gaara's butt.

She bit her lip. If it didn't matter so much, then why does she remember every word? Why does she still remember how his grin would widen when he's smiling about something good he did? Why does she still remember the way his eyes squint when he's talking about something? Why does she still remember how his beautiful blue eyes would gleam whenever he's happy?

She sat on the soft green grass, buried her face in her hands and…

"Hinata! Hinata! Are you here?"

"Eh?"

Her tears had already begun to fall when all of a sudden, someone was calling her name. Wiping them as fast as she could, she listened to it again, trying to know who it was.

"Hinata! Oi! Where are you?"

She gasped. She knew that voice. She could never forget that voice.

"N-N-Naruto-kun!"

She couldn't believe what she heard. Feelings swirling within her, she stood up, and immediately turned to where the voice came from.

Her heart skipped a few beats. She lost her breath at the sight. Her eyes were as accurate and as clear as ever, but Hinata could not even believe what she saw.

It was Naruto, still dressed in black patient's robes of the hospital. Once he caught sight of Hinata, he immediately smiled, and ran up to her.

"W-w-what're you doing here, Naruto-kun?" Hinata said, utterly shocked.

"I was looking for you!" He said, matter-of-factly.

"F-f-for me?" Hinata stuttered in reply. She could not believe her ears.

"Yeah! You see, I was wondering…"

Hinata's heart was beating rapidly. Inside, her emotions were swirling like crazy, leaving her in a state of utter confusion. She had absolutely no idea why Naruto would be here, and why he would be looking for her. Was he angry, for her suddenly bolting out of the room without saying anything? Was he disappointed at something she said earlier?

Or…could it be that he really just want to see her?

Hinata gulped, her cheeks burning, her fingers twiddling in nervousness, and muttered, "Y-yes?"

Naruto grinned once again, his eyes squinting as he said, "Could you do me a favor?"

* * *


	4. Chapter Four The Last Favor

**_Author's Note_** – FINALLY, I've managed to update this thing. Sorry about the long delay AGAIN, folks. This final chapter certainly needed a lot of thinking over, and after nearly two months of rewriting and other delaying factors (damn you, PS2! XD ), it's finally complete. I'm so happy. XD And I hope you will be, too.

Thanks again, and on with the show!

**_Chapter Four – The Last Favor_**

Hyuuga Hinata had no idea why she was here. She had never been to this place before, though she had seen it more than enough times to remember where it was located and what it was called. She would never come here out of her own volition, though, since she always found him here, and she was always too shy to be even meters from him.

But here she was, sitting beside him, customers to Ichiraku Ramen. Uzumaki Naruto was already grinning in anticipation at finally eating his favorite meal.

The chef, a balding old man, was about to close shop when he saw the two of them. He then shouted, shocked, "What the…Naruto? What are YOU doing here, at this time of night? And you're all covered in bandages too! Did you escape from the hospital or something?"

"Don't mind the minor details, mister!" Naruto replied, with a big grin, "Here you go!"

He handed over the two coupons. Sighing in defeat, he plucked them from Naruto's hand. When it came to a bowl of freshly-cooked ramen, there was no stopping Naruto. The chef, an old man, would've shooed off any other person visiting, but he had been a faithful customer for the longest time now, and he couldn't possibly deny the boy his favorite food.

While the Chef was examining the coupons, Naruto was shifting in his seat in sheer anticipation. Hinata was still twiddling her fingers in nervousness, unable to even raise her head.

"What the…this is already expired!" the chef exclaimed.

Naruto nearly dropped on to the floor, if it weren't for the Chef saying, "But, this one is still valid, so you get two bowls."

"Yosh! Extra noodles for me, okay?" Naruto requested, with the Chef grumbling about something as he prepared his equipment.

"What about you, Hinata?" Naruto asked, looking at her, "Anything you'd like to add?"

"Eh!" Hinata nearly fell off her seat when Naruto suddenly asked her. Holding on to the table, she meekly replied, "N-no…no thank you…"

"You sure? You can always ask for some extra beef, or something," Naruto asked again. Hinata just shook her head, and Naruto just made a grunt as a reply. She was so nervous and embarrassed; she could already feel her cheeks burning off.

While Naruto was eagerly waiting for his bowl of ramen, Hinata took a small peek at him, only looking at him in the corner of her eyes. He was smiling from ear to ear, and sometimes he would lick his lips as soon as the aroma would come wafting from within the kitchen. He was even humming a small tune.

Was ramen really that good?

But why he brought her here, she wondered even more. Was this the favor Naruto talked about earlier? Did he have something to say to her? If that was it, what? Was he angry for her suddenly leaving without saying a word? Was he disappointed at something she said? Was he even more depressed now than before? Why did he bring her here? What did he want?

Or...

As much as Hinata wanted to deny it, as it would've been too good to be true, there was always that possibility. Was it because he just wanted to treat her?

Was this a…

"D-d-d-da-d…" Hinata did not notice that she was stuttering out loud, and that she was already staring at Naruto.

Unknown to her, Naruto was looking back.

"What?" Naruto said aloud.

With just that, Hinata was pulled back into reality, and immediately noticed what she had been doing. Instantly blushing furiously, she quickly turned away, her trembling hands covering her very, very red cheeks.

"Whaat?" Naruto asked, his curiosity piqued.

Already incredibly embarrassed at herself, all Hinata could do to reply was to just shake her head. Truthfully, she was already considering running away from here as fast as humanly possible, to save herself from any further embarrassment, but she already liked where she was right now.

"Whaaaat?" Naruto asked again, now even more curious than before.

Then, he placed his hand on her shoulder.

At that very instant, Hinata froze at his touch, trembling ever so slightly. Gooseflesh quickly spread throughout her body like wildfire. Nervous sweat began to pour, almost completely drenching her face. She was utterly still, the only parts moving on her body now were her fingers, which were pushing at each other harder and harder as she got even more nervous.

Hyuuga Hinata was a terribly shy girl with an affectionate crush on a boy in class. All she ever really wanted was his attention.

But now that she got it, and in spades, she had no idea what to do, or how to react. To say that she was embarrassed now would be an understatement. She was even beginning to feel a little insane.

"What is it? Come on, tell me!" Naruto insisted, slightly shaking her.

"NARUTO-KUN!" She suddenly yelled so loudly it made Naruto jump in his seat, releasing her.

"W-w-what?" Naruto murmured, still quite shocked.

Feeling a little insane made her a little more daring, it seemed. But, this was it. She now had his full attention. She never had an opportunity like this before, and she doubted she'd have another one again. She had already given up earlier, but she thanked the stars for a chance like this. It had given her resolve.

Her heart was racing. Her cheeks were burning.

But she didn't care.

She had to tell him now.

No matter what could happen.

"N-Naruto-kun…" she began, her voice trembling.

"Yeah?" It seemed that he already calmed down.

"Umm…well…"

"Yeah?"

"Well…actually…"

"Actually what?"

"T-t-there's-something-I-want-to-tell-you-so-please-listen!" She suddenly blurted so quickly, thanks to her nervousness. She felt like an idiot.

"Okay," Naruto replied. Fortunately, he understood.

"Well, it's…"

"Mm?" Naruto tilted his head a little to the side.

"Well…"

"Go on," Naruto said, with a slight nod.

"Well…I…"

This was it. The words were finally coming out.

"I…"

"You what?"

"I…I…l…l-l-l….'

"Huh?"

"Naruto-kun," she said, pacing herself, "I…I…I…l …"

"Huh?" Naruto had no idea what she was trying to say.

"Naruto-kun!"

"Yeah, that's me," Naruto said, scratching his hair.

"Naruto-kun, I l-l-l-…."

Naruto's eyes widened. Hinata noticed, and she gasped a little. Was he reading her thoughts? Did he know what she was trying to say?

She had to make sure, she STILL had to say those three words!

"Naruto-kun…I…I…"

"Hinata! I understand!"

Hinata gasped out so loud. Her cheeks, she imagined, were melting. She felt like fainting, but she willed herself to see this to the end!

"Naruto-kun…I…I…"

"IRUKA-SENSEI!"

"Eh?"

Then all of a sudden, her head was suddenly forced down, thanks to Naruto's hand. They were ducking underneath the table, hidden from plain sight.

But in that position, she was so close to his face. She could clearly see his large blue eyes scanning the area, and his strong hands clasping her head. She blushed even further, probably going through all the shades of red by now.

And just like Naruto had shouted, Iruka did come walking by, chatting with his fellow teachers. Luckily for them, he did not notice the two, and soon, they were far away.

"Whew! So that's what you were telling me," Naruto exclaimed, as they came out of their hiding place, "Thanks! He would've caught me for sure, but you shouldn't be so embarrassed, y'know? It's only fair that you give a warning straight out!"

Hinata felt like bawling. A perfect opportunity, lost…

And just as they had reappeared, two steaming bowls of delicious ramen were ready. Naruto immediately yelled, "Itadakimasu," then proceeded to chow down. Still sighing, Hinata slowly ate her own ramen.

Her eyes widened a little. "Mm…it's good," she mumbled.

"See! I told you! The ramen here's always the best!" Naruto exclaimed, and then began to continue eating. Hinata continued, eating at a slow pace.

While they were still eating, Naruto said, "Hey, do you have to be anywhere tonight?"

Hinata just shook her head and replied, "N…no, not really."

"Good! So can you come with me? It won't take long," Naruto said, his voice having a slight tone of pleading.

But even with that, Hinata couldn't refuse. She replied, "O-okay…"

"All right! Hey, old man! Seconds please!" Naruto yelled, handing his bowl back to the chef.

"We're closed already! Go home!" The old man yelled back.

While Naruto was negotiating with the old man for another bowl of ramen, Hinata went into deep thought again. Wasn't this the favor Naruto talked about? Where would they be going now? Why was Naruto taking her?

She had no idea why, but if it meant spending time with Naruto, then there was no way she could back out.

Sipping up the last noodle, she placed the bowl on the table and said, with a smile, "Gochisosama!"

* * *

Hinata had no idea where Naruto would take her after dinner at Ichiraku Ramen. She could guess, but she was almost certain that she'd be wrong. As much as it bothered her, she didn't know a lot about him; what he likes (aside from ramen), what he doesn't, those kinds of things. Even though her feelings for him were honest and true, she still would like to know more about him. 

So, she never guessed that Naruto would take her to a nearby convenience store and ask for her help with groceries. She was very surprised when she found herself shopping with him, watching him pick out instant ramen, some cartons of milk, some bottles of water and all sorts of other things. Afterwards, they even went to some other shop to restock on his equipment, such as Kunai, explosive seals, wire, and other weapons. Then, lastly, they went to another shop, where Naruto bought some camping gear, like a tent, sleeping bags, lanterns and other tools.

It didn't immediately register as to why Naruto would want to gather these things, but as they walked, it already began to dawn on her. The provisions, the weapons, the survival gear; that could only mean one thing…

"I'm…I'm leaving," Naruto said. They were back in the Genin's training area, with the three identical wooden poles. The night sky was above them, the moonlight gently shining on them as Naruto spoke, his back turned towards Hinata.

Hinata gasped. "W-why?"

"Well, you see…well, you know ero-sennin, right?" Naruto asked, turning to face her, scratching his head.

"Ero…sennin? Do you mean Jiraiya-sama?" Hinata guessed, after a moment of thought. She remembered seeing him leave the hospital before she arrived.

"Yeah, him. You see, he's offered to train me, but thing is, I have to leave Konoha for three years to do so," he replied, his voice a little soft. He placed his hands in his pockets.

"Three years? That's…that's a long time," Hinata said. Inside, she was a little sad. She'd definitely miss him, but at the same time, that seemed to fit Naruto, going away on a training journey.

"Yeah, so…well, here's the favor I was talking about earlier," Naruto said, sternly, slowly moving up towards her, leaving the grocery bags behind. Hinata almost walked backwards out of shyness, but she willed herself not to.

"Y-yes?"

"You know…you always know the right things to say, you know that?' Naruto said, with a big grin.

Hinata blushed gladly, and Naruto smiled even wider at the reaction. He continued, "Whenever I'd feel down and out, you'd always come around and say something that'll cheer me up. I really, really appreciate that."

She had to say something, even though she was choking up inside. Within a few moments, she replied, "Well…well, it's the least I can do, I mean, for what you've done for me."

Naruto was honestly puzzled, with his eyes wide and his hand scratching his hair again, replying, "What I did?"

"You say…you say that I've been there for you, but truly, you've been there for me too. Do you remember? You…well, you protected me from failing in the cheating exam with Morino-sensei," Hinata said, looking down, her lowered hands clutching each other.

"Well, uh…it was no big deal," Naruto replied, looking away, slightly blushing at her remark, "I mean, I would've gotten into trouble too."

"Not only that, you cheered me on too during my fight with Neji-niisan. Even though the odds were certainly against me, you still believed in me, trusted in me that I could keep fighting. No one's done that for me before, and for that, I'm very, very grateful," she said, with a slight bow.

The sudden display of politeness caught Naruto unprepared, and he was fumbling his words. "W-well, uh, it's nothing, heh…"

"You see…I was considered weak by my family," she said, speaking in a solemn tone, "No one expected a lot from me, even my own father, who already considered that my younger sister, Hanabi, showed greater potential than me. I was labeled as a weakling even before I could try. I was…kind of an outcast, that way.

"But...well, seeing you try so hard even though everyone was so harsh towards you, I thought that I could do the same thing too. I knew that I could do it if I just worked hard enough, and did my best, because…because you were doing great yourself, Naruto-kun.'

Hinata lifted her head, and then smiled a true, honest smile that sincerely showed her feelings. She said, "In a way…you've always been there for me."

Naruto smiled back, scratched his head, and said, "Heh…I…I guess we're kinda in the same boat, huh? Shikamaru said that we were the 'uncool' part of the class, didn't know we had a girl member, too."

Hinata giggled at the remark, and Naruto laughed out loud. They laughed to their hearts' content, lasting for a few moments before they calmed down.

"Well…" Naruto said, after a while, "about that favor…"

"Yes?"

"I'm definitely going to take Sasuke back,' Naruto said, with determination in his voice as he clenched his right fist, showing it to Hinata, I'm going to train hard, so that next time, I won't fail."

"Yes, you should," Hinata said, still smiling.

"I'll come back in three years, better than ever! I'll look so much cooler by then!" Naruto exclaimed, quite loudly.

"Yes, you will," Hinata said, reassuringly.

"And in three years….in three years, Hinata…"

"Yes?"

Naruto stuttered, his nervousness showing, "C-Can we talk again?"

Hinata was speechless. Her pure white eyes were wide in disbelief, and her nervousness was suddenly gone, all replaced with a warm feeling inside. She had thought of all sorts of things, but it never crossed her mind that this could be the favor he would be asking for.

"In three years…a lot can happen in three years, so…well, uh, how do I put this, I'd appreciate it if we can chat like this again. I guess…I guess I really enjoy talking with you, and uh, you know, uh…" Naruto paused to gather his words. It seemed like he was having a hard time.

Hinata smiled again and said, "I'll look forward to it."

Naruto's face visibly brightened up. "Great!" He said, grinning wider than usual, "And…uh, remind me, okay? When I get back, I might forget about it. You know me, heh, I'm a little absentminded, right? So you better remind me!"

She stifled a giggle, replying, "I'll try."

"So, I guess I better get going. Iruka-sensei might see me or something," he said, rather sheepishly. He backtracked to pick up his shopping bags, and with a slight bow, he began to walk away.

"W-wait, Naruto-kun," She pleaded so suddenly that it stopped him in his tracks.

He turned around and asked, "Yeah?"

"I…I've got something…something important to tell you," she said, a little weakly.

"A…all right," Naruto replied, putting his shopping bags down.

This was it; she had to say it now. He was going to leave Konoha, and be away for three whole years. Like he said, a lot of things could happen in that time, so she thought it would be best if she could let it out now. She would probably never get a chance like this ever again.

For the first time, Hinata felt little tension. She had given up only a little while ago, but it did seem like fate had given her a second chance at this, to finally tell him how she truly felt for him. In the bottom of her heart, she was still a little nervous, but now, it was overshadowed by a little desperation and a lot of determination.

Breathing deeply, she felt her courage rising within. Placing her hands on her chest, she could feel her heart beating rapidly, but she tried to remain as calm as possible.

Hinata thought, the day would not end as long as she had not uttered those words.

"H-here goes…Naruto-kun?" She began, her voice trembling a little. Her head drooping, her index fingers began to push against each other with each other as usual.

"Y-yeah?" For some reason, Naruto was feeling a little embarrassed.

"Mm…I…I'll only say this once, so p-please listen carefully, okay?" Hinata requested, looking into Naruto's blue eyes so suddenly that it almost made Naruto step back.

"Y-yeah, s-sure…" Naruto replied, feeling unusually drawn into Hinata's pale white eyes. The same was true for Hinata, who could not look away from Naruto's. It made things a little more difficult, but she continued anyway, her heart pounding.

"…well, I've wanted to tell you this for a long time now, but…I never really found a good time to do it…mm." Hinata wanted to hit herself. She was fumbling, delaying, and each minute that passed made it even more unbearable.

"O-okay," Naruto said.

Here it comes, she thought. She could feel the words in her throat as it slowly crawled into her opening mouth.

"N-Naruto-kun…I…"

She closed her eyes. This was becoming a little too much for her to bear.

"I…"

Since her eyes were closed, she didn't notice Naruto had already looked elsewhere.

"I…l..."

She didn't notice that Naruto's expression had already changed.

"I like you…"

"NARUTO!"

There, Hinata had finally said it. The words that she had wanted to say for so long were finally out. She felt like a huge weight was lifted off her throbbing chest, which was already starting to calm down. Her trembling had stopped, and her fingers were at rest. She breathed a deep sigh of relief. Now all that's left was to see how Naruto would react.

Though she had to admit, when she said it, her voice was still a little on the soft side. And the way she said his name was strangely a little too loud.

Then she realized something. When she confessed, she didn't say his name, and even if she did, she would've ended it with a "kun." But someone did say his name very, very loudly, and she somehow recognized the voice.

She was sure it wasn't hers. It sounded like a man's.

An old man's.

Gulping, she opened her eyes. She gasped.

There was a rather large old man with long, spiky white hair with red paint streaking down below his eyes. He wore a forehead protector with the character for "Oil" on its metallic center. Much to Hinata's surprise, this man was giving Naruto a very painful headlock. It didn't take Hinata or Naruto long to recognize this person as Jiraiya, Naruto's new master and one of the Legendary Sannin.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, huh? HUH!" The old man said, twisting his fist against Naruto's bandaged head, "I leave you for a while for you to rest, and I see you here out on a date!"

Hinata blushed profusely. He said the magic word, it seemed.

"Normally, I'd praise you for doing something like this, but given the circumstances, I'd rather beat the crap outta you, so take this!" Jiraiya twisted his fist even faster to the point that Naruto felt that he was losing his hair.

"OW! OUCH! Would you cut it, Ero-sennin, AGH!" Naruto yelped, struggling to break free from his grasp, "Hinata…was gonna say something…urgh!"

Hinata let out a long sigh of disappointment. He didn't hear her, after all, much to her dismay.

"Really, now?" Jiraiya said, turning his attention to Hinata, and was surprised to see her looking so disappointed. He asked, "What's your name, little lady?"

"H…Hinata. Hyuuga Hinata," she replied, a little weakly.

"Whoa, a Hyuuga? You've got some guts," Jiraiya exclaimed, his voice a mix of praise and sarcasm, as he strangled Naruto even more, "Dating a Hyuuga! I never taught you that before. I should say, though, you've got taste."

"Would you stop it, argh!" Naruto groaned, finally breaking free from Jiraiya's headlock, falling on all fours on the ground as he caught his breath.

"Well, now that I've found you, it's high time I get you back to the Hospital," Jiraiya said with a shrug, grasping Naruto's collar, "You need your rest!"

"Wait a minute, Ero-sennin. Hinata was going to say something," Naruto repeated, his voice defiant.

Jiraiya grunted aloud. "Your life, kid. Well, Hinata, what've you got to say to my stupid pupil here?"

However, as much as she would've liked to repeat it, it was gone. Her built-up courage, her determination was already long gone when she said those three words. Even now, she already felt her nervousness building up again, and all she could reply was just a simple, "It's…it's nothing important."

"Eh? You sure? You looked like you had a hard time," Naruto retorted, frowning.

"Y…yes," was all she could reply.

Naruto sighed out loud, and whether if it was out of disappointment or not, Hinata could not determine. But, she felt that she couldn't really blame him. After all, she had been so indecisive, so nervous, so irresolute that she couldn't even talk properly to him.

"I'll wait."

If she only said it a little louder, if she only said a little earlier, then she wouldn't have to suffer like this.

"I'll wait for you."

She wasn't sure there'd be a next time, too. He's leaving for three years and who knows what could happen to him, she thought. No matter how much she would wait for him….

"Eh?" Hinata suddenly spoke, Naruto's words slowly sinking in.

"I said I'll wait for you to say it again," Naruto said, with a smile.

"N-Naruto-kun…"

"Or, rather…when I come back in three years, I hope you can say what you want to say to me. Until then, I'll wait. That okay with you, Hinata?" Naruto replied, his smile turning into a huge grin.

She felt a sudden rush of warmth in her cheeks, and an excited gasp escaped her trembling lips. All of a sudden, Hinata felt energized and light as air, and readily, happily, she heartily replied, "Yes! Yes, t-that'll be good."

A quiet moment passed, Hinata and Naruto's eyes locked on one another, Naruto grinning and chuckling, while Hinata was just quietly smiling. Though she was not certain on how he felt, or exactly how long it took, but it surely felt like an eternity of happiness for Hinata, for what it was worth.

Jiraiya coughed out aloud, though, and the two were snapped out of their reverie. Hinata quickly backed away and returned to twiddling her fingers. Naruto just went back to picking up his shopping bags.

"Well, now that the both of you have finally gotten intimate, it's time for us to go," Jiraiya said with a gruff tone, helping Naruto by taking some of his bags, "Time for you to go back to the hospital."

"Right, right," Naruto replied, with a defeated tone, "See you later, Hinata."

"Y-yes…" was all she could say.

"Don't worry about him," Jiraiya said, sensing her worry, "I'll see to it that he gets to the hospital and I'll even personally tie him to the bed." He paused to smirk at Naruto's terrified reaction, "Heh, you go on home, little lady, it's getting late."

"Yes, thank you very much," Hinata said, with a deep, grateful bow.

Hinata stood quietly as she solemnly watched Naruto and Jiraiya walk away, bickering amongst themselves as they ambled their way out of the training ground, slowly fading away into the darkness of the night. She had a feeling, however, that she might see this again someday, that she might watch Naruto leave once again, his back towards her, never looking back. But, if things were different, she might not have accepted it so easily; she might end up confused, lonely, and possibly even a broken heart, but not this time. If she were to see this again, she would just quietly smile and see him off.

She would wait for him, for three years, longer, if she had to.

He was off to train himself, to become stronger, to become more capable of facing the challenges that lay ahead of his life, his destiny.

She decided, there and then, that she would also try to become stronger, so that when they would meet once again, after three years, she would finally have the courage, and the strength to speak to him once more.

She would have the strength to say those words to him once more.

Everything that had happened today was out of coincidence, was due to factors beyond her control. But in the future, she hoped that she would be in control, and she would be the one to walk up to him and greet him and talk to him once again.

But she was grateful for today, for everything that happened. She had never, ever expected things to turn out this way, to be able to spend time with him. It was an absolute blessing for her to spend nearly an entire day with him, though, she thought, she would've been satisfied already if she would have spent only a minute with him.

Happy, content (for now), and determined, Hyuuga Hinata turned and walked into the night, heading home.

* * *

**_Next - EPILOGUE_**


	5. EPILOGUE

**_EPILOGUE_**

****

"Welcome home."

After sliding the door shut behind her, Hyuuga Hinata made a brief smile, replied, "I'm back," and bowed. Likewise, her cousin, Hyuuga Neji, the one who greeted her, bowed the same way.

"Where is my father now?" she asked, as she removed her sandals at the doorway.

"He left just a few moments ago to have a meeting with the elders," he replied, "but anyway, if you are already here, then I assume he has already left?" Neji asked, as they walked along the corridors of the Hyuuga's ancestral home.

She nodded in reply, adding, "Just a few minutes ago, with Jiraiya-sama."

"Is that so…" Neji stopped talking for now. He could detect a hint of sadness from her.

The two reached the house's courtyard in a matter of minutes. Green with healthy grass, with a few patches of dirt here and there, with a single, yet tall and proud tree at near the center, it was a serene place that could serve as a peaceful refuge from life's troubles. Aside from that, and having great aesthetic value, it was also sometimes used for training if the lessons involved were deemed too rigorous for an indoors dojo.

"How is your training with my father?" Hinata asked, reminded by the place, as the cousins sat on the raised flooring surrounding the courtyard.

Neji cracked a smile from his usually calm face. It seemed like a topic he enjoyed. "Your father is an excellent teacher, and a strict one, at that. He has deep insight regarding the intricacies of the Jyuuken, and even teaches me different applications of the technique and Chakra usage."

He chuckled a little, adding, "But, in return, to be honest, I've haven't had a moment's rest since I started training. Still, I'm not remorseful about it, as there is only so much I can learn from self-studying and self-training. I'm quite grateful."

Hinata smiled, happy about the progress of her cousin. She replied, "I'm sure you'll do well."

"Well…I must admit that I would never have gotten this far, if it weren't for Naruto," Neji said, conviction in his voice.

Hinata raised a brow. "Naruto-kun, you say?"

"Yes. If it weren't for him, I would've never learned anything new about the Jyuuken. Aside from allowing me the chance to have better training, Naruto also opened my eyes to the truth, as I think he did with your father's.

"It's amusing, and ironic, in a way, that an outsider, a person that had nothing to do with the inner conflicts of the Hyuuga clan, would instigate the start of a radical change, to bridge the gap between the main families and the branch families," he said, with a solemn smile on his face. "It starts with my training with your father, and tomorrow, who knows?"

Hinata could only smile. Hearing this, she could not help but feel a little proud of Naruto. Her mind wandered a little, wondering what he could be doing now, or what kind of training could he be doing.

"Hinata-sama, you were unconscious during our match, right?" Neji asked, bringing Hinata back to reality. She replied with a nod, and then he said, "I must apologize. You must've wanted to see him fight."

"I-it's all right," Hinata reassured, "With Naruto-kun…well, you could say I've already gotten more that I could've asked for."

Neji raised an eyebrow, asking, "What do you mean?"

Hinata shook her head, smiled, and said, "It's a secret."

A moment passed, and there was a complete silence, save for the brushing of the leaves against a gentle breeze. Neji was looking straight ahead, while Hinata's face was lowered, her fingers twiddling as usual.

Hinata had mixed feelings. First, she was happy that she was now finally able to speak with Neji so normally, without feeling so restrained or afraid. Long ago, Neji had so much hatred for her, and for her family, but now, it still amazed her that she could even share words with him.

"Well…" Neji said, breaking the silence, "How are you holding up?"

"H-holding up?" Hinata replied, not quite sure what he meant.

"Naruto leaving," Neji explained, a little matter-of-factly, "are you all right?"

"W-w-what do you mean!" Hinata blurted out, immediately embarrassed.

"I do not need the Byakugan to see that you, Hinata-sama, have feelings for him, Neji said, his stern voice wry.

At first, her initial reflex was to quickly deny it, then immediately change the subject. At the very least, she wanted it to be kept a secret, but then she realized that for Neji to mention it, it must have been obvious. She remembered that even Kiba, Shino, maybe even her sensei, Kurenai, knew about it, and so, it should be no surprise that someone like Neji would eventually figure it out.

So, she just shyly nodded and turned away, her cheeks blushing hot

Neji said, as he stood up and took a few steps forward. Without turning to face her, he said out loud, "Well, I will say this for him: Uzumaki Naruto is a good man. If you have chosen him, then I have no qualms or complaints."

Hinata was very much shocked, to say the least. "N-Neji-niisan…," was all she could mutter at the time.

"Have you told him?" Neji asked, facing her.

Hinata just shook her head, after a moment. Neji sighed aloud, and said, "Well…it'll be a long time before you can get your next chance. Three years, to be exact."

"Mm…no, three years, that'll be okay," Hinata replied, her fingers stopping.

"Oh? How so?"

Pausing to collect herself, feeling glad that she found it somewhat easy to talk about these kinds of things with her cousin (thanks to Naruto, she mentally noted), she said, "U-Up to now, each and every moment I've had with Naruto-kun was entirely due to coincidence. The first time was during the first trial of the Chuunin Examination. The next, was when he cheered me on during my fight with you, and then, when he suddenly visited the Genin's training area, where I was at the time. That was before your fight with him. Then, the last time was when I was asked by Shizune-san to deliver medicine to him.

"Each and every time I got to speak with him," Hinata said, with a bit of regret in her voice, "was not because I willed myself to do it, but because, I had to. I was just swept along in events that were out of my control."

Neji wanted to say something, but he found it difficult to find the right words. Hinata, however, continued to speak. She said, "Naruto-kun is going away for three whole years to train himself, to become stronger, to become better.

She stood up, clenching her fists to show her determination. "I promised myself that I'll work hard too, to become stronger too, to become better too. That way, when he comes back, after three years, I can stand on my own feet, walk up to him and go meet him myself."

With a small smile, Neji realized that he didn't need to say anything at all. Hinata had found her own strength, her own determination. He realized that she, too, had changed her fate out of her own free will, just like Naruto changed his.

"By that time, I hope I can be someone worthy for Naruto-kun," Hinata concluded, resolved.

"I am sure that you will."

Surprised, Hinata almost jumped from where she stood. A voice suddenly boomed out from behind her, and she quickly turned around to see who it was. Adding to her shock, it was her father, Hyuuga Hiashi.

"Next year, the Chuunin Exams will begin once again," Hiashi said, approaching his daughter, "After this year's…well, dismal results, with only that one boy from the Nara clan receiving the promotion, it was decided that the Chuunin Exams will yet again decide the future of all the shinobi of Konoha.

"Hinata," Hiashi proclaimed aloud, almost making her jump again, "I hope that next year, you will produce a more positive result."

"Y-y-yes, Father…" Hinata murmured, heavily intimidated. She backed away a little; not even looking into her father's piercing white eyes.

Hiashi saw this and sighed. Approaching Hinata, he knelt down in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She immediately shuddered, and even felt a little frightened by the sudden gesture, but she calmed down when he saw her father's face, much to her surprise. His face was calm, pleasant, and gentle.

"F-Father…" Hinata gasped, obviously shocked.

"Hinata," her father began, his voice slow and mild, "You'll do well. Exceed your own limits, but at your own pace. I want you to prove that you can decide your own fate; replacing the one others have placed on you."

She had no words. Never in her life did she expect these words to come from even her own father. He continued, "While I will say that your skills are still not on par with Neji's, meaning that you cannot participate in his training, I am sure that your teacher, Kurenai-sensei, will be willing to help you and teach you whatever you need to know."

His normally strict, cold face began to wear a smile, and said, "I know that it is long overdue, but you have my full support."

She could not believe her ears, but soon enough, his kind words began to sink in, and Hinata almost began to cry in utter joy. But, she tried her best to hold it in, though some tears managed to creep out from her pure white eyes. Immediately wiping them off, she nodded, and said, spirited and even more resolute, "Yes! I'll do my best!"

"I know you will," Hiashi said, with a nod. He stood up, then called, "Neji, come. We'll continue your training outside."

"U-understood!" Neji immediately replied, then, turning over to Hinata, he made a small bow and said, "Well then, excuse us, Hinata-sama."

It only took a matter of time before they left to continue Neji's training, leaving Hinata in the garden by herself. However, she wasn't feeling lonely or sad, rather, she was fired up, and she was burning with determination, with courage. She had not felt like this before, had not felt so much energy, so much inspiration, not since Naruto had encouraged her in her battle with Neji at the previous Chuunin exam.

Naruto…

She looked up, and the sky seemed so much clearer now than before. It seemed so endless, an infinite sea of blue that stretched for miles and miles. Yet from her perspective, it seemed like she could swallow everything with a closing fist.

It seemed like she could do everything now.

And, now, she allowed her tears to fall, but she had a beautiful smile on her face, a smile that she had not worn for a long, long time.

_Naruto__-kun, thank you…thank you so much, because of you…all of this…_

_Please, come back soon…_

_And when you do…_

_I'll properly say those words next time._

* * *

A few days later, in a place far away from Konoha…

**"**Naruto, you idiot! Watch where you're throwing that thing!" Jiraiya yelled, dodging a runaway Kunai.

"Ah, sorry about that," Naruto replied, apologetically.

"Really, if you wanna think about your girlfriend, do it when you're not holding anything sharp," Jiraiya yelled aloud, picking his nose.

"What! The hell you talking about, Ero-sennin? Hinata and I aren't like that!" Naruto immediately retorted, screaming.

Jiraiya raised a brow. "Hinata? I never said it was Hinata…I was actually thinking of that pink-haired girl whatshername."

Naruto was speechless.

"You sly dog!" Jiraiya yelled, quickly trapping Naruto in a headlock, "You horny toad! I never though you could be a two-timer! I was never even THAT impulsive when I was your age!"

"Sh-shut up! And let go!" Naruto grumbled, struggling to no avail. Jiraiya was having too much fun to even think of letting go of his young student.

He grumbled, as Jiraiya continued to make him suffer, "I want to go home…"

Oddly enough, his mind began to wander. His thoughts drifted back home, to Konoha, the village that he had temporarily left behind in order to train himself. Although it had only been a few days since he left, it strangely felt sad to be away from it. He remembered that he would be away from the village even longer, since Jiraiya proposed to train him for three, long years.

If he could remember correctly, he was the only one who left the village to train, while everyone else remained with their teachers assigned by the academy in Konoha. He began to wonder what all his friends could be doing now…

Then, he admitted to himself that it was inevitable that his mind would eventually think about that person.

He wondered what could she be doing now, or if she was doing well. It only seemed yesterday since they last met, and, to his surprise, even he could still remember what had happened in detail.

Does she remember, he thought, the promise they made on that day? He wondered what kind of thing she wanted to say to him. He remembered how hard it seemed for her to say it. What could it be, and was it really that important?

Naruto could remember how her pure white eyes seemed to shine when she was struggling to let those words out. He could even remember how her lips would tremble when she would stutter.

To say that he wasn't curious would be an utter lie.

Suddenly, Naruto had another reason to come home sooner. It placed a smile on his face.

"Yo! Naruto! This is weird, even for you, spacing out like this!" Jiraiya yelled right into his ear.

"ARGH!" Naruto groaned, snapped from his reverie.

"What the hell am I going to do with you…oh well, from the beginning, do it all over again!" Jiraiya growled, a very serious tone in his voice.

"What! Are you kidding!" Naruto bawled.

"Hell no! Do it again, or I'll throw all your rations into the river and draw on you while you're asleep!" Jiraiya threatened, a very evil aura emanating from him as he laughed mischievously.

Naruto groaned once again and picked up his weapons.

_I wonder how Hinata's doing?_ He thought once again, as he began his practice once more.

"WRONG! AGAIN!" Jiraiya growled.

Naruto groaned. He wanted this to be done with already, and three years couldn't get any slower than this.

Grasping his Kunai, he decided that the only way for him to get this over with, to become stronger, was to do his best, to give it everything he had, to sincerely hope for the best.

It had only been a few days, and Uzumaki Naruto was already homesick.

He wanted to go home.

And to see her again, to get to talk to her again.

**_THE END_**

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

By now, you can pretty much tell where I stand on the whole "Who's Naruto Gonna End Up With" debate. XD

Well, it's finally over. I hope you liked reading it as much as I had writing it, wrinkles and all. Again, apologies for the delays, and thank you so much taking time to read this piece. Thank you!

As for another Naruto project, I'd say it's very likely. I'm already planning something long and eventful, maybe even reach 13 chapters. I think it'll be a darker alternate universe, but it's still pretty much in the works. Once that comes along, you'll be the first to know.

****

**_DISCLAIMER_**

****I do not own _Naruto_, nor the wonderful characters involved, or its main story. However, this story of this fanfiction, along with the events and scenarios that played out, are mine, Mookamori, so there!

Thanks to The Otaku Fridge and its people for letting me rant and speak my mind in their message boards. XD

Thanks to my family for always being a good source of energy to keep things going, in fanfiction and in real life.

Thanks to Masashi Kishimoto for creating such a masterpiece such as Naruto, and creating great characters such as Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata.

Thanks also to God for hearing me out on just about anything.

And thank you, good reader, for staying with me for this long. Until we meet again!

* * *


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